MEDFORD, Ore. – A murder suspect is being sued by the daughter one of the women he allegedly killed.
Kit Warren Wilkins is accused of shooting and killing 62-year-old Shirley Gann and her daughter, 43-year-old Judy Gann, at their Shady Cove home on April 21, 2019. He was arrested and lodged in the Jackson County Jail on the same day the shooting occurred.
Clyde Ray Gann, Shirley’s ex-husband, said Wilkins was in a romantic relationship with his ex-wife. He said he didn’t witness any physical abuse but always felt wary about his daughter living with them.
On January 27, 2020, a wrongful death suit alleging negligence and recklessness was filed against Wilkins by Judy Gann’s biological daughter, who is representing Gann’s estate.
The lawsuit alleges Wilkins was delusional when the incident occurred. The plaintiff argues if Wilkins had sought out psychological care and took the proper medications for his reported mental illness, the deaths could have been prevented. It also alleges Wilkins unreasonably believed he was threatened by Judy Gann.
A paragraph in the lawsuit reads, “At all times, it was foreseeable that defendant’s conduct could cause serious personal injuries or death to others. In handling a lethal weapon while in a delusional, intoxicated and/or incapacitated mental state, defendant was aware of, or should have been aware of, and consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable risk that he would endanger others in his proximity. The risks defendant took in the manner he did was gross deviation from the standard of care that reasonable persons would observe while handling a lethal weapon.”
Read the entirety of the lawsuit HERE.
As of January 30, 2020, Wilkins remains behind bars charged with two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated murder. His next court appearance is scheduled for February 10, 2020.
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